UNDRAFTED QUARTERBACK SIGNINGS

ARIZONA CARDINALS

Max Hall-SR-BYU *INSIGHT*

Although Hall lacks all the measurables you’d want in an NFL QB, he was very productive at BYU and deserves a real look for a roster spot.  At barely over 6’0” and 200lbs, Hall is vastly undersized and is limited in many areas.  He has subpar arm strength and will not be able to make all the throws at the next level.  However, he is a very smart QB and has great accuracy on his short throws.  Coaches may be turned off by his short temper and high opinion of himself (See Hall’s comments about Utah).  He takes the game seriously and should be able to catch on with a West Coast offense team, whether it’s the Cardinals or someone else.  By the way, he has great bloodlines – Uncle, Danny White, played QB for the Cowboys (76’-88’) and Grandfather, Wilford “Wizzer” White played HB for the Bears (51’-52’).  Will be a 25-year-old rookie.

ATLANTA FALCONS

Tim Buckley-SR-Alcorn State

DALLAS COWBOYS

Matt Nichols-SR-Eastern Washington *INSIGHT*

Nichols was definitely one of the more underrated QB prospects in this year’s draft class and I am surprised no team was willing to take a chance on him in the latter rounds.  He has a good amount of potential and could become a solid backup if given a chance to develop.  He has above-average arm strength and a quick release coaches love to see.  His accuracy is pretty consistent and maintains it even when outside the pocket.  The knock on Nichols is that he came from an FCS school where he faced inferior competition.   He will need to adjust to the speed of the NFL. Nichols also worked primarily in the shotgun, in which he was never really challenged to make difficult reads.  He has the tools, but he will require work and patience to develop into an NFL QB.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Noah Shepard-SR-South Dakota

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Tim Hiller-SR-Western Michigan *INSIGHT*

One of the most productive and smart QBs coming out of this year’s draft class, Hiller was at one time considered a mid-round pick.  However, it seems that teams were scared away by Hiller’s lackluster skill set and weak knees.  Hiller tore both ACLs while at Western Michigan and has limited him greatly.  His escapability is close to zero and will be strictly a pocket passer.  Although he showed toughness by playing three games with a torn ACL in 2008, he seemed to shy away from contact and could not handle a pass rush.  He has decent enough arm strength to make the throws in the NFL and is very accurate underneath.  Will have to adjust to working under center, as he operated almost exclusively out of the shotgun.   His has prototypical size for an NFL QB at 6’4” and 225lbs.  What coaches will love him for though, is his outstanding intangibles.  He was a solid leader and has extraordinary character and work ethic, graduating with a 4.0 GPA and participating in various charitable functions.  While his skills won’t wow you over, his presence in the community will.  I think it will be hard for any coach to turn down a quality guy like Hiller.

HOUSTON TEXANS

Tyler Sheehan-SR-Bowling Green

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Trevor Harris-SR-Edinboro

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

R.J. Archer-SR-William &Mary

Ryan Perriloux-SR-Jacksonville State

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

A.J. McKenna-SR-Albany State

NEW YORK GIANTS

Dom Randolph-SR-Holy Cross

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Joey Elliott-SR-Purdue

ST. LOUIS RAMS

Thaddeus Lewis-SR-Duke

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Jarrett Brown-SR-West Virginia *INSIGHT*

I was very surprised to see Brown’s name still on the board at the end of the draft.  In most people’s mind, he was within the top 10 QBs in this draft.  I saw him as a mid-round draft pick, possibly sliding to the last few rounds – but I always thought he’d be drafted.  He is raw, but he did very well considering he was forced to sit behind Pat White his entire career until this last season.  At 6’3” and 225lbs he has great size for an NFL QB.  He is very athletic and is faster than what most would think when looking at him in pads; he ran a 4.5 sec 40-yard dash at the combine.  He also has an NFL-caliber arm and has the ability to put a lot of zip on the ball.  Even when outside the pocket and on the move he is able to throw with that same velocity.  There is a lot of upside here for Brown.  However, his decision-making and throwing mechanics need a lot of work.  It will be a big challenge for him to learn an NFL playbook.  His accuracy needs improvement as well.  Coaches will need to work with him to get him out of the habit of tucking the ball and running whenever the pocket starts to break down.  But, a guy as athletically gifted as Brown brings plenty of upside and should be able to wow coaches over with some of the things he can do.  I am a little worried about how he slid of the board during the draft, making me wonder if something came up during player interviews that swayed coaches away.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Jevan Snead-JR-Mississippi *INSIGHT*

Here’s a guy who everyone was raving about after a brilliant season in 2008 and was projected within the top 5 QBs of this class at one point.  Unfortunately for Snead, his draft stock plummeted to the ground this last season after not even coming close to his 2008 numbers.  While he did lose two great players in Michael Oher and Mike Wallace, he showed no glimpses of a future NFL QB.  He has one of the best arms in this year’s crop, but trusts it way more than he should.  He is of the gunslinger mold and mentality, often getting himself in trouble by trying to fling the ball into the tiniest of holes.  He does not possess the accuracy to make those types of throws and is very erratic.  His delivery is solid and shouldn’t have a problem there.  Does not have a great deal of confidence when rushed and can accumulate as the game progresses.  Many question his understanding of the game and apparently didn’t do anything to dispel those rumors during the combine interviews.  Snead has the upside to be able to play in the NFL, but it is still in question whether he will be able to work out all the faults in his game to live up to it.  It definitely wouldn’t have hurt him to go back to school for another year, as he had little to lose.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Daryll Clark-SR-Penn State *INSIGHT*

I was a little surprised to see Clark go undrafted, as he flashed enough ability to warrant a late-round pick.  Clark is much like the previously mentioned Jarrett Brown of West Virginia.  He is a great athlete and can hurt you on the ground.  He has a rocket for an arm and puts a great deal of velocity behind his throws.  He is very hard to bring down because of his compactly solid build (6’1”, 235lbs) and will bull through tackles.  Clark is as competitive as they come and leaves everything on the field.  However, he needs to develop more as a decision-maker and to fine-tune his footwork.  It will take him longer than others to digest an NFL playbook and needs patience from his coaches to develop and ease into the position.  He is a long-term project that could scare some teams away, but has the upside to merit a spot on a roster.  A viable option for Clark is to contemplate switching to the RB position like former Penn State QB and current 49er Michael Robinson. 

 

Packers’ Jeremy Thompson to Retire

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Online, Packers GM Ted Thompson sent out a press release earlier today (April 26) stating they have released Jeremy Thompson for medical reasons.  The 24-year old linebacker subsequently announced that he will retire from professional football.  Thompson told Sentinel reporter Greg A. Bedard, “Ideally, I would love to keep playing but the risk is just too high and I would like to be able to hold my wife and play with my kids after football.”  Thompson cited the reason for his retirement to a neck injury (described as a neck sprain) he sustained in a full-contact practice last December when he and RB Kregg Lumpkin collided.  He previously sustained a neck stinger during the preseason of 2009.  The injury apparently reoccurred throughout the season and by the end of it, he needed to take a hard look at his options and what physicians had to say about it.  Thompson was drafted by the Packers in the fourth round (102^nd overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft out of Wake Forest.  In two seasons with the Packers Thompson played in a total of 15 games and started in three, accumulating nine tackles.  He is a great person off the field and participated in numerous numbers of charities and was a finalist for the National Sportsmanship Award while at Wake Forest, given to the college player who best personifies the spirit of sportsmanship.  In his goodbye Thompson stated, “The Packers are a first-class organization and I want to thank them for the opportunity to play in the NFL. There truly is no team I would have rather played for.”  It is hard to meet a classier guy than Thompson and he will truly be missed in the Green Bay. 

To read the full JS Online blog by Lori Nickel: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/92108124.html

Packers sign undrafted free agent QB Noah Shepard

QB Noah Shepard- Sr- South Dakota

It looks like the Packers are trying to address their QB depth issues here with Shepard.  Now there is no guarantee he will make the roster, but he’ll at least compete for a spot – and that merits attention.  Coming from the Division II ranks, Shepard is still very raw for a 3 ½ -year starter.  He has a strong tendency to leave the pocket and scramble rather than stick in the pocket and check his reads.  He did operate in a pro-style offense and does have a pretty quick release with decent arm strength.  He needs a lot of work on his decision-making skills and will have to adjust to the much faster-paced speed of the NFL.  He did improve consistently throughout his career at South Dakota and showed that he will work to continue to do so.  So, time will only tell if Shepard is ready enough for the NFL and worth a roster spot.  Keep in mind that the Packers were the only team to hold a private workout with Shepard before the draft.

DRAFT GRADES FOR PACKERS

Round 1

23. OT Bryan Bulaga-JR- Iowa – Grade: A

This pick was a no brainer for the Packers.  Bulaga fills their biggest need and was a steal at pick 23.  Many had him ranked as the third best OT in this year’s draft and projected him as a top-10 pick.  Bulaga brings with him a good amount of versatility, being able to play multiple spots along the O-line.  He fits the Packer mold perfectly and is a blue-collar player all the way.  He has prototypical size (6-5, 315lb) and technique.  He uses solid footwork and knows how to mirror defenders and get to the second level effectively. He completely shut down Titans’ first round pick Derrick Morgan in bowl game.  He plays with a mean streak and aggressively finishes off his blocks.  Doesn’t have elite arm length and did suffer from injury throughout his career (Shoulder, thyroid condition).  However, he came on strong the second half of his junior season.  He has the work ethic and character to develop into a future pro bowler.

Round 2

56. DT Mike Neal-SR- Purdue – Grade: C

This is just one of those strange Ted Thompson picks that come up every year.  The Packers’ D-line was very solid last season and is by no means a need, especially in the second round.  Neal was very inconsistent throughout his career at Purdue.  At times he looked like a surefire second round pick, while at other times he looked like nothing more than a fifth-rounder.  However, if the coaches push him enough Neal could end up as a nice rotational player.  Neal has outstanding weight-room strength and a solid physique for a guy his size (6-3, 297lbs).  Unfortunately, this doesn’t always translate onto the field.  He seemed to lack quality conditioning and motor.  When he was fresh, though, he showed great instincts, quickness, and penetration.  He could develop into a solid player for the Pack, but he must be pushed to accomplish this.  I would have liked the Packers to address other needs here, where some quality players were still left on the board.

Round 3

71. S Morgan Burnett-JR- Georgia Tech – Grade: B

The Packers traded up to address need here and got a pretty good player in the process.  This guy is an aggressive banger with great ball skills and good, not great, coverage skills.  He was not a disciplined in pass coverage as you would like, gambling too much on plays, but he was still productive with 14 career interceptions.  He was effective enough to keep opposing QBs away from throwing his direction last season, which is why his numbers dropped from the previous season.  He has outstanding work ethic and his coaches said he came to work every day, even as a freshman.  If the coaching staff works with him properly and polishes his coverage skills a bit, there is no reason to believe he won’t develop into a solid starter.  Unfortunately, the Packers had to give away their fourth round pick along with their third round swap with the Eagles.  There will be a considerable amount of pressure on Burnett to make an impact now in being worth two picks.

Round 5

154. TE Andrew Quarless-SR- Penn St. – Grade: D

This is my least favorite pick by the Packers this year.  First off, tight end is another position that the Packers have down pretty solid and did not need to be addressed during the draft.  Factor that in with the type of baggage Quarless brings with him and this pick is not worth the risk.  He was suspended on three separate occasions throughout college including being cited for underage drinking, a DUI, and was found with marijuana in his apartment shared with three teammates.  Physically and athletically he is everything you’d want in a tight end.  However, he never really did much with the tools he was blessed with.  He was very inconsistent and dropped a lot of catchable passes throughout his career.  He has a nice blend of size (6-4, 253lbs), speed (4.69), and athleticism to be a quality tight end.  But, he is far from it and will need a lot of tough coaching to tackle his immaturity issues.  Another spot I would have liked to see used on a need like a rush linebacker.

Round 5

169. OG Marshall Newhouse-SR-TCU – Grade: B+

This was a nice pick up in the fifth round by the Packers.  Newhouse brings great value here with the versatility to play all along the O-line.  He played left tackle with TCU, but projects better as a guard in the NFL.  He has surprising quickness and athleticism for a guy his size (6-3, 318lbs).  He showed nice flashes of power and strength as a finisher at times to merit potential.  His skills matchup nicely with a zone-blocking scheme like the Packers’.However, he plays too passive and will need work on his technique.  He also will need more conditioning to stay competitive in the NFL.  But Newhouse brings plenty of potential and three years of starting experience.  He could easily crack the starting lineup somewhere down the road with the proper coaching.

Round 6

193. RB James Starks-SR-Buffalo – Grade: B

Here is a guy who could’ve been a second or third round selection had his senior year not been erased by injury.  Before the injury Starks was highly productive and looked to be on the verge of another big year last season until he tore his labrum in his left shoulder, requiring surgery.  His is an athletic, multi-dimensional back who is built more like a wideout (6-2, 215lbs).  He is a great receiving option out of the backfield and has a decent amount of speed to get up the field effectively.  He does run a little too high, leaving himself open to big hits.  And in the NFL, those hits could be devastating to a guy who already has injury issues like Starks.  He will need to work with RB coach Edgar Bennett to learn to lower his shoulder more and run with proper lean.  He will be a good addition to the Packers’ RB core and will compliment Ryan Grant nicely.

Round 7

230. DE C.J. Wilson-SR-ECU – Grade: B-

This pick does not fill a need for the Packers, but does bring pretty good value.  Wilson has prototypical size (6-3, 287lbs) for a DE in a 3-4 scheme like the Packers’.  He displayed very good upper-body strength (32 reps) and surprising speed (4.83) for a guy his size at the combine.  He is very good against the run, but is not a great pass-rusher.  He is very durable and never missed a game in college.  He works hard and stays active with his hands while battling against opposing O-Lineman.  He will need work, especially in the pass-rush category, but he is a hard worker and should find his way into a rotational role at some point.